Now I am up to 100 miles...more thoughts and questions

[street bob 59]

So, one thing I am sure of. I need the bars up and back, too much pressure on my hands and wrists. I have gone through the site and looked up the Wunderlich riser as it was recommended, but it seems to raise the bars but don't bring them any closer. Any thoughts or recommendations?

No engine bars, Cee Bailey screens, or touratech covers either for the 2011.

...and I thought the Dynas were a little tough to shop for sometimes. Jeez.

Compared to my road king and the dyna I got rid of, the BMW reminds me of my old Schwinn (in a good way). I truly am thrilled with this purchase.

Also, the head service guy at the dealer told me to stay off the rear brake, as the abs goes 50 50 front and rear if you use the rear. He said the rear will wear quickly if used as half the stopping power. Seems weird to me.

[deilenberger]

So, one thing I am sure of. I need the bars up and back, too much pressure on my hands and wrists. I have gone through the site and looked up the Wunderlich riser as it was recommended, but it seems to raise the bars but don't bring them any closer. Any thoughts or recommendations?

No engine bars, Cee Bailey screens, or touratech covers either for the 2011.

...and I thought the Dynas were a little tough to shop for sometimes. Jeez.

Compared to my road king and the dyna I got rid of, the BMW reminds me of my old Schwinn (in a good way). I truly am thrilled with this purchase.

Also, the head service guy at the dealer told me to stay off the rear brake, as the abs goes 50 50 front and rear if you use the rear. He said the rear will wear quickly if used as half the stopping power. Seems weird to me.

Dealer Blather (=the need to sound expert on any question..) I'd agree on staying off the back (except at parking lot speeds when needed to help initiate/control a turn) since the ABS proportioning does a much better job at it then any human can.

Since the bike really just came out - the vendors are undoutably waiting to see how it sells (it's selling quite well from what I've heard) before committing R&D money to creating accessories for it. I'd expect within the next year you'll see lots of stuff available for it.

As far as bars up and back - certainly possible that you need it - but when I have that sort of problem I usually just go faster and let the wind push my weight up so I'm not leaning into the bars. At least that's my excuse..

[Jed]

So, one thing I am sure of. I need the bars up and back, too much pressure on my hands and wrists.

I felt the same way when I first got my R12R. But after a while I found the standard bars to be a good compromise between an active posture I like at medium speeds & a "lean forward" posture at high speeds At low speeds I just move forward in the saddle to take the weight off my arms. I'm 6'1" with 31" inseam. These days I'm looking for a bar with even less rise and pull-back than the stock bar.

[Houn]

I too felt a little too much pressure on my wrists with the OEM positioning. My biggest discomfort, however, was to my elbows. I guess I naturally sit fairly upright (dirt bike background) and that often caused my elbows to be in/near a locked position. After a few weeks of 100 mile/day commuting, I was starting to get what felt like a bad case of tennis elbow.

I found that a set of the Moto-Techniques 1" rise - 1.25" back bar risers completely addressed both these problems (YMMV):

http://www.moto-techniques.com/061062.htm

Sure, there are other nicer looking options out there (at a premium price), but for just $50, I didn't feel I could go wrong giving the MTs a try. Well, they worked, and I've never looked back.

Good luck finding what works for you.

[street bob 59]

Moto-techniques. Will check them out.
Jed kinda got me thinking about waiting a while and then making the decision about what I really want to do after living with the bike a good bit longer before doing what seems inevitable.

Thanks all.

[Catchina]

I sent an email to Wonderlich asking about windscreen availability for the 2011 r1200r and they said August timeframe. Here is the reply.

Hello and thank you very much for your inquiry.

The brackets needed to be redesigned. Estimated availability is middle to
end of August. If you like, I can let you know when they are available.

Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

With regards to the bar positioning I also got used to it after a while, I don't feel the need for risers. I agree with Jed, it is a good compromise for mid to fast speeds. I am just about at 3,000 miles.

[Jed]

Moto-techniques. Will check them out.
Jed kinda got me thinking about waiting a while and then making the decision about what I really want to do after living with the bike a good bit longer before doing what seems inevitable.

Riding style and riding position seem closely related. The R12R position has been alternately described as "sit-up-and-beg" or "active" by various sources depending on their proportions and riding style. In my case, given my proportions, anything over 35mph is comfortable and tension-free. Below that speed, I'm aware that I'm holding myself up - mostly with my back rather than my arms. But at slow speeds I'm thinking about relaxing my arms and keeping the weight off my hands. My long torso wants to sit further back in the seat so my posture tends towards the "active" end of the spectrum.

I think once you sort out how you are going to ride - low speed around town vs spirited back roads vs super slab - that you'll have a wider view of how the comfort and effectiveness of the R12R''s ergo's change relative to speed. I can understand, especially for those with more protective windscreens, how bar-backs and a more upright posture would be their preference. I find that personally, I'm moving in the other direction. I'm thinking of picking up a R12S and learning to be comfortable with clip-ons, but everybody is different. You would not be alone if you went the bar-back route on your R12R. Ride safely and have fun!

cheers,

[nylife]

thats actually a good observation by JED, i am pretty much the same, when i am riding around town or traffic, i feel the pressure on my hands, but once i am on the highway and going i feel great and comfortable.
I did install mototechnique risers 1inch up 3/4 back so its very slight adjustment and it seems to work better, but i have not put enough miles since install to really judge yet.

[rockbottom]

Did you try just loosening the bolts and moving the bars? I've pulled mine back about an inch from where they were when I got the bike.

[Tarmac]

OK, I've looked at both your threads, and I think you've bought the wrong bike.
Take it back to the dealer and see if he'll let you swap it for a RT. It will solve all the problems your having, and will save you money in the long term.

[street bob 59]

Nope, I got what I wanted. I'll use my road king for touring. Ordered mirrors I can fold out of the way in the city when traffic is dead. This, I hope, will make a huge difference. I really have to be careful now not to collide mirrors. Nobody else has this problem on city streets?

[rockbottom]

I'll use my road king for touring.

Interesting how different people are. I can easily do 450 mile days on my R1200R and still feel chipper. I rented a Road King last Christmas and after 200 miles, felt like I'd been beaten with a baseball bat.

[xcell1600]

I had similar issues. I loved the way my 2009 R handled but could not go long distances without feeling some form of discomfort. I experimented with different seats and windscreens and was unable to make a difference.

I was going to try bar backs etc and realized that the geometry of the R just does not fit me.

I traded it in for a 2011 GS and could not be happier from a ride perspective. I do think the R looks better!

Good luck with your journey!

[Anyname]

I believe that the Cee Bailey screen uses the BMW touring screen mount. If this is correct, then Cee Bailey screens should work on the 2011 bikes. While the mount for the 2011 is a different part number, BMW sells the same screen touring screen for both pre and post 2010 bikes.

I think this is true for the Cal-Sci shields as well.

[Catchina]

I believe that the Cee Bailey screen uses the BMW touring screen mount. If this is correct, then Cee Bailey screens should work on the 2011 bikes. While the mount for the 2011 is a different part number, BMW sells the same screen touring screen for both pre and post 2010 bikes.

I think this is true for the Cal-Sci shields as well.

I went to the dealer today and asked about the BMW touring screen for the 2011, they said the the same thing - the screen is the same but the mounts are different...and it is these new mounts that are not available. I got on the waiting list. Once the mounts come in I can the use them with the BMW touring screen or many of the other ones made by other companies.

[bmwk100]

I suffered from big pain in my wrists from the stock setup. I purchased the Wunderlich risers and they have completely eliminated the pain and discomfort. I highly recommend them.

[Anyname]

I find that the bar/grip angle is more important than the height, but then my typical discomfort comes from pressure on the medial(?) nerve. My previous "new" bike was a 2005 GS and it was always uncomfortable, even with risers (The risers did make for nifty wheelies). On the other hand, my 86 R80 with fairly flat "S" bars causes little discomfort. I finally figured out that rotating the GS bars back 20-30 degrees placed the grips at a better angle. The best solution was, of course, replacing the GS bars with a new bars attached to a R1200R.

[dbrick]

Anyname's right: a bar angle that fits your arm and hand is critical. For me, I'd like the grips to point more aft. My RS fit this metric perfectly, with its base-of-the-grip pivots. The R, OTOH, doesn't.

I tried rotating the bars, which would affect the angle in a minor way, but was stopped by the lack of clearance between the turn switch paddles and the tank with the bars at full lock. In addition, the left grip/switch assembly is pinned to the bar and (absent drilling and tapping a new hole for the screw) can't move on the bar, so that if you rotate the bar, the grip/switch assembly cannot be moved to put the controls where they should be. I declined to drill a new hole, as I wasn't confident I could accurately assess the new location on the first try. I'd only get one try.

I added some risers; the shorter reach to the grips helps a little. I still wish I could move the grips. I think one would have to find a replacement handlebar of the right proportion: with a greater pullback angle for the grips, and, perhaps, a higher rise so the risers could be ditched. In turn, that might require longer brake or clutch lines.

Wunderlich has a "touring" bar for the R12R, but its pullback angle looks the same as stock, and it's wider than stock - I'd prefer a narrower bar. Perhaps one from Flanders would work, but I want to preserve the bar end weights, and that, in turn, would require someone to braze or weld a suitable female thread inside the ends. Has anyone found a another replacement handlebar with a greater pullback angle?

[dbrick]

Or...maybe I should just remove the stock bar and bend it a little. No parts to buy, no chrome to resent, no end fittings to fabricate.

[street bob 59]

Seems pretty clear to me waiting will provide more options. After a 200 mile ride at higher speeds I had no pain. I think I will wait.